Humanity’s intricate relationship to the night sky is age-old. The celestial cycles have been observed and documented across time and cultures, and remain reflected in art, narrative, ritual, practice, and relationships.

The presence of the celestial sphere in recorded histories suggests both that it held great importance to communities around the globe, and that it is intimately linked to death. Yet, the nature of this link remains a mystery.

What compelled ancient cultures to link the stars with death, and what continues to inspire contemporary cultures to engage with narratives, rituals and practices that reinforce this link?

These are the questions we seek to answer with this project.

Essentially, we are taking the ideas of our ancestors and exploring how they are applied in contemporary life.

The first research of its kind, our project explores how experiences associated with death are linked to celestial events, and how these play a role in reinforcing humanity’s connection to the night sky.

We will use this knowledge to develop innovative resources and opportunities to rekindle our ancient connection to the stars and re-imagine the meaning of the dying process.

We have a small team with a wealth of experience in exceptional experiences of consciousness, Indigenous psychologies, mātauranga Māori, and kōkōrangi Māori:

• Nicole Lindsay

• Rangi Matamua

• Natasha Tassell-Matamua (PI)

The research is currently still underway!

But, you can find out more about what we are doing, as well as watch some interesting short videos at our dedicated project website.